The Grey Materia
by Sister Shinju
Summary: Sephiroth is gone and the group has split up but everyone is ready for their story, the one we know. What about the one we don't know? Of the people we never met perhaps searching for the same thing...The Grey Materia.


Chapter I – Chocobos and Strangers

She felt the rush of wind against her face as she rode. Her body bobbed with the movements of the large black bird she rode. The runway ahead of her set into a turn and she leaned into the swaying as her chocobo spread his wings. Her head turned to look over her shoulder through her visor she could see the yellow follow behinds running to catch up just as she turned and crossed the finish line. She heard the cheers as the beast eased to a stop and a group of reports gathered around the racer as she removed her helmet, brown and amber hair falling over her shoulders. She watched the microphones come up and she smiled as she watched the flashes. Questions came at her from all directions but one caught her ear as if came from a reporter in the back.

"Miss Eemi, what's your next big reveal in racing?"

"The four toed chocobo," she said a bit modestly and the press kept doing their job as she rode her chocobo to the winners circle.

A small motion from his rider sent him into a hard leap over the wall of the area and into another area of the park that the races were held. She laughed as she ran through the stage, interrupting a play. The actors fell back and she shouted a sorry over her shoulder. The chocobo set into a trot and moved to the main lobby and out to the monorail where she entered with a half laugh and wave from the lady at the front. Only when the monorail set off did she demount.

"What a ride!" she laughed and fell back on a seat, the chocobo tilting its head at her.

"Kweh?" it seemed to ask, ruffling its dark feathers. She waved to it and pulled a flask from her jockey suits pocket. She took a swig and slumped forward, replacing the cap and then the flask into the pocket.

"They keep trying to send me the damn rewards for winning Blue," she said to the chocobo. "I just want to prove who is the best breeder ever, that damn chocobo sage made himself a legend. I can too."

"Wark!"

The monorail stopped and she stood, giving a glance to the doors. They were stopping too soon. Something was wrong and she wanted to find out what. Moving to look out the window she turned her gaze to where they were suppose to be headed but saw nothing but clouds in her way. Stepping back she thought to herself before a loud thump came to the top of the car, rocking it and she stumbled back into Blue. The bird looked to her and lowered his head to look at the door as pounding came to it and a dint was made. The woman stepped back and Blue ruffled his feathers, crowing. There was a pause at the chocobo's noise before one last 'wham' sent the door flying in, missing them both by less than an inch.

A swooping figure came to swing into the monorail as it started back up, wind rushing in as it did. The figure dowsed in black said nothing as he moved to the door and picked it up, walking back to the opening. A high, wrinkled collar covered most of face. He began to replace the dinted door and the woman watched as he partly fixed the mess he had made, kicking the door to try and straighten the dints in the metal. She paid attention with curiosity, eventually speaking.

"Um, excuse me…?" the man paused and turned to look at her, his eyes deep. He said nothing to her, seeming in thought, "Who are you…?" Still no answer came as the monorail came back to stop and the door opened, a couple of area fighters stood at the doorway and pushed themselves in as the door once again close and the monorail started down. The man looked irritated.

"You, who do you think you are? You attacked the manager and broke into the monorail, sending it back up! You're going to pay for that, we already have sent for Shinra! They're going to come and take you away, make you pay hard time!" the woman frowned at man trying to act tough, despite his huge muscles he wasn't very big compared to the one before him. With the chocobo, herself and the others in the car though, it was a bit crowded.

One of the others took note of the other with them in the car, "Hey! It's that famous chocobo racer, Eemi!" he was younger and he had seen him betting on her many times to win some money. She had never lost. The other two looked at her and then to the chocobo which cued to himself.

"Well, I'll be."

"Were you going to do something to her you scoundrel you! Huh, bastard!" she sighed at the man, acting big again. A fist was sent clear into the man's chin and he fell back against the already bent door. The hit came from the mysterious stranger who hadn't spoken. He looked to the chocobo and then to the rider. He moved and kicked the men out of the wall, the two others stepping back. His hand went to grab the reins of the chocobo who let out a long 'wark!'

"Let him go!" she demanded, though she could fight she took as step to grab the reins as well, her hand touching his.

"Your chocobos…" he said in a hushed deep tone. "They can fly…"

She stuttered a nod and he moved his arm around her, mounting the bird who pulled back, flapping its wings madly in a fit of noises. He moved her in front of him a bit roughly. "Then fly…" She knew her chocobo couldn't fly with both their weight but lead Blue to leap from the monorail as the man who was man climbed to his feet and shouted out after them. The chocobo crowed and flapped his wings, struggling even to glide as they moved into a tumble roll down the mountain side, the chocobo the only one remaining on his feet.

The black bird moved to nip at the hair of its owner who groaned and pushed herself up, looking around for the man who was walking off she frowned and quickly mounted Blue who knowing set into a run and came to bring dust up in an interception.

"If you think you're going anywhere without an explanation you have another thing coming," she said harshly and he looked off at the sound of other voices and he brought a finger to his lips, motioning for her to be quiet as he moved behind a few rocks to peek over them at a group of people outside the town of Coral on the trail.

"We're not going to find anything standing around…" a man with blonde hair frowned and the woman next to him nodded as did the other of the group.

"I agree Cloud."

"Raeow…" a cat like beast chimed in, "yes, if we're to find this new materia our best bet would be to head to the shut down mako reactor."

"Yes, I remember that Red."

The man moved from the rock as the group moved off. He began to brush himself off as his face met that of a chocobo's. He seemed to frown.

"Tell me." She demanded and he walked to sit on a rock.

"I'll have to wait until he leaves tomorrow, damn I was hoping to get this done tonight…" he seemed to say to himself, weaving his fingers together.

"Hey, are you listening to me…?"

"Chances are…he won't take the monorail…I bet he rents a car and moves through the prison into the desert and flees to Costal de son…"

"Hello!" she said annoyed and Blue puffed up, his feathers showing his likewise feelings.

"I'll need to move into the desert myself but that is suicide…unless…" he lifted his head to look at the girl. "Take me to your chocobo farm."

"What! No way!"

"I need to rent a chocobo."  
"Oh, really? What would you use a chocobo for and how is it you know I have a chocobo farm?"

"I read about you in a magazine…" he said plainly, standing and she blushed. "It said that you owned a chocobo farm and actually rent gold chocobos out to certain people."

"So you need a gold chocobo huh? Guess you're unlucky, you're not one of those certain people." She pulled back on the chocobo as just at the end of her words a blade tip was brought to her throat.

"I better be…"

"Heh- of course…" she moved a hand to push the sword aside and readied her chocobo to run before the hard tug on the reins held Blue still. Blue crowed again and made to scratch the man who moved aside of the flapping feathers.

"Lead me there…" he said and she nodded as she spoke to the chocobo.

"Blue, home."

He set in a run and the man stumbled but pulled him back so he could jog along side them. It took less than an hour to reach the destination as the large yet narrow stable and house appeared within the forest. The man seemed to smile as they moved up to it. A few dozen chocobo within the fences lifted there heads at almost the same time looked to the ones who approached. A few were blue or green or small white baby chocobos but they all watched and followed them as they went to the stables. Chocobo's, obviously racers, poked their heads from their stalls as she demounted Blue and felt the touch of the man in a prod forward.

She lead him along to the last few stables, within them were three gold chocobos one of which had three toes in front instead of two. She didn't seem keen on renting her so moved right past to the last one, unlocking the gate. He stepped forward as she stepped back and he entered the stable, looking at the chocobo. She took in a breath.

"I always recommend taking a moment to get acquainted…" she said harshly and strode off to Blue whom she lead to his pin, removing his saddle and bridal. "Who does he think he is?" she whispered to herself.

"I think…" she heard his voice whisper right behind her ear and she jumped, as he spun her around pushing her against the wall, "I'm a man who doesn't like to be cheated in a deal…" She shook a bit, swallowing hard.

"A-and I am a girl who doesn't give fair deals to those whose name I don't have…"

"I am Akuhei…" he said. That name…it sounded familiar to her but she hadn't the time to think as she watched his hand move to the hilt of his blade.

"Fine, stop being so forceful and I will rent you Karei…" he let her go and she brushed herself off, moving back to look at her three gold chocobos, opening the gate the four toed one and leading her out. He looked to the feet and then to her as if questioning. "She's the fastest gold chocobo I have and easily can move across rough terrain at top speeds for hours…" He nodded a bit, and moved a hand to reach out for the chocobo who snapped at him. She moved to grab a bridal, slipping it over and under the chocobo's beak. She moved to get a saddle and the man shook his head, mounting the bird.

"Hey, you're not going to just walk off and not pay are you?" he took off and she chased, "H-Hey! Blue!" The black bird squawked and she threw open his gate, jumping on him as he bolted after the gold chocobo. Blue picked up his pace as he raced to come along side the gold chocobo. "You ain't getting away without paying!"

"Watch me…" the gold chocobo set into a faster pace but if anyone knew these beasts it as Eemi. She put her weight into it, moving to have Blue ram into the side of Karei. She had after all, never lost a race…

To be continued…


End file.
